A. Yes! Now is still a wonderful
time to plant trees, to help them get established before the heat
and drought of summer. Be sure to consider how large a tree will
grow. Right now it may look pretty scrawny and lonesome sitting
out in the middle of the yard, but think about what it will do in
only a few years.
Notice power lines, the roof of your house, and other trees. It
is so easy to make the mistake of planting too close to the house.
Back off and imagine the shade pattern you want to project in 5
years. And if you plant too close to the power lines, you can expect
the City to be pruning them for safety.
The first year is the most critical in a tree’s life. When
you plant it, dig the hole as wide as possible, but absolutely NO
deeper than the root ball. This will kill a tree within a few years.
If anything, plant it a little high to allow for settling. Remove
girdling roots on the rootball—they may be as thick as a pencil,
and eventually will strangle the tree.
Do NOT add compost to the planting hole. You will create either
a bathtub or a flowerpot. For sure, the tree will be hesitant to
leave its comfy little hole to adventure into the native soil. If
you want to compost, apply it over a large surface area, and slightly
till it in. Do not apply fertilizer. Water the tree thoroughly and
deeply each time; let it dry out before watering again.
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American
smoke tree (Cotinus obovatus) 
